Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-26
FOOTPRINTS OF FAMOUS MEN.
A ThorOughfare Where Greatness Is "a
Common AZ To Pass UmnOttced.

FOOTPRINTS OF FAMOUS MEN.
a ThorOughfare Where Greatness is 50
Common as Ia Pass UnnOttced.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE AND us AssocIAr1oss-xEs
| WHO HAVE WALKED ALONG 1.-THE PAST AND PRES
| ENT-How MRS CLEVELAND CAN GO OUT SHOPPING
| WITHOUT ATTRACTING A CROWD.
The judge stood leaning against one OF the COL
umns In front OF the hotel with his head bent down
| IN thoughtful mood. His eyes were directed to
the pavement running down the avenue toward
| the Capitol, and he seemed to be studying the
forms of the hollOws and assures worn by the
! grinding OF many feet.
Autographs" he said, pointing down, as he saw
| The STAR man standing by him.
| "Where?'
"There.' And he pointed again to the hollows
IN the paving. Then he added, following out his
| renectlons: THE pavements In washington are
worn Oy the footsteps OF great men. Did you ever
Ihlhk VI that? the number OF famous men-and,
might add, wOmen-who have walked and who do
walk every day the streets OF Washington? stand
Tor an hour In public place here and you Will
more OF the famous people OF the day than you
could see In the same space OF time In any other
place In America. Did you ever think OF that?
Wen, the people here don't care about such things.
strangers Will spend the day running about to get
glimpse OF some famous person whom Washing
ton folks pass every day without thinking OF It.
You you see they are used TO 1t. Since Washington
became the capital of the nation there has not
oetn famous man IN America who has not
walked IN It's streets, and most OF them have been
more or less intimately connected with life here.
Lincoln and stanton and Chase and johnson only
a Few years ago used to walk by here. Nearly
every morning Tor eight years Gen. Grant
WALKED DOWN THIS AVENUE
toward the Capitol. The echo OF his steps has
scarcely died away! The footprints OF Gen
Sherman have worn deep into the pavements
down 18th street, around by the old National
Theater, and between his house and the War De-
partment. You could not find them among all the
Nnn
vliet, Admiral Porter, Admiral Worden, who
whipped the Merrmac, and dozen other military
and naval heroes walk the streets here every day,
almost unnoticed. Some OF the famous diplomats
OF the world may be seen here most any day.
Every day OF his ife while representing the court
OF 81. James mere, Sir Edward Thornton used to
walk TO the Capitol and back TO his residence on
Connecticut avenue Rain, shine, snow or sleet
ne walked IN . orlsk gait down Connecticut ave-
nue., through Lafayette Square, and down Penn
sylvania avenue TO the Capitol, and then back by
the same way. And the British minister OF to-day,
with his little brass latch-key hanging from the
button OF his coat, takes almost the same walk.
And there are the gally-attired Chinese minister
and MS suite the Japanese minister, the represen-
tatlve OF the Russian bear, the Dane, the PruSSan
and the swede fez-capped diplomats OF the far
East, and the swarthy South Americans OF
the diplomatic corps, may be seen strolling about
the streets. And there are some little convfvtal
corners where some OF them make resort and are
merry companions with some OF the simplest OF
us. Inc glamour or greatness Is lost here. The
footprints of Webster. Clay, and old Tom Benton
are somewhere on the avenue, though much
be above the grade, or below the grade or they
may hayeb been carted of, In the general turn up
OF lnproyement.but those men have walked here
Orten enough washington and Hamilton have
walked on this avenue arm In arm. The
figure OF Jefferson has been as familiar here
heels have ground into the stone fiaaging.
no longer here. Aaron Burr has jumped
lightly across the stepping stones dhings of the
people here OF his day. All the Presidents and all
the statesmen OF this country have lived In and
been part Of Washington. Youknew all that? or
gether 1t Is something TO think OF. You are
AssoCIATISG WITH FAMOUS PEOPLE
here all the while without noticing 1t. When con-
gress is in session you pass fifty on the street
any day without more than noticing them, any one
OF whom would be pointed out as some one to see
even In large cities, and sight OF whom would be
thing to be remembered and talked OF by thou
sands OF people in remote parts Of the country.
1.-THE Justices OF the Supreme Court, who have
the greatest power OF any men in this country and
embody in their joint personalities one of the three
equal branches OF this Government, have their
homes here do their marketing, buy their fish and
potatoes and their leg OF mutton here-the SIM
plest OF citizens. Any one could stop either OF
these great men on the street and be politely and
pleasantly received. Any one OF them would stop
to direct stranger to some place OF interest TO
tell laborer the time OF day. No one would ever
think from anything in their manners that their
decisions were the law OF the land from which there
was no appeal, and that they are above and out OF
the reach Of the whole world. Cali on the Chief
Justice, and one OF the peasantest and simplest
hammered men In the world will come down to
see you without any ceremony.
ga million people crowded and crushed each
other and Travelled for miles 10 see the President
and his wife during their recent tour. Even in
great cities like Philadelphia and Boston there is
rush and jam TO get a glimpse OF the beautiful
lady OF the White House.
MRS. CLEVELAND OUT SHOPPING.
''The other day / saw a Sweet-faced, simply
attired lady step from her carriage on the Avenue
and go into crowded store. She came out with a
little parcel and was driven little way to some
other place. From store TO store she went The
people passing on the street did not stop to stare
at her. No one laid aside bargain to look at
her in the store. She went In and out like the
other ladies. But IL was Mrs. Cleveland shopping
She does not do all her shopping here but i see
her often, sometimes with her mother, oftener
alone, driving about the city shopping Just as
hundreds OF other ladies do-without any more
Inconvenience from the crowd. When she crosses
the pavement from her carriage TO the stores she
through that others encounter, and the chances
are a hundred TO one that no one will recognize
who she Isl or, II she is recognized, there will be
no sort OF demonstration. She Is simple and
modest In her way and seems TO enjoy these little
shopping excursions In the same way she drives
about at will. No crowd stops TO stare after her
carriage. Whatever ogling she gets Is from
strangers who happen TO learn who she is.
BEHIND A FAST TRoTTER.
"Mrs. Cleveland is very good driver. Did you
know 1t? l saw her driving down 18th street
with a fast horse and side-bar buggy the other
the reins- The horse was on a smacking trot and
she handled him with great skill. Coming TO a
square where there were many hacks and other
vehicles she clipped In among them without
drawing rein, and did not scrape wheel. She
had just driven IN from the country roads. Her
wrists were barred for little way from pulling on
the retns; her hair was just a little loOsened by
the wind, and a bright color was in her cheeks
She holds the reins with frmness, and there is
Just enough development OF muscle in her arms
from the strain on the bits for perfect grace and
beauty.
Don't you know" added the judge. after long
pause, shat OF all the people OF note know OF
there are none the public are more Interested In
than MIS- Cleveland. Yet, she moves about with
out restraint and is not annoyed by attention here
BY moving about freely she has disarmed curiosity
IL Is a wonder that the President does not profit
BY her example. BY the time he had walked down
the avenue two or three times he would be In no
more danger OF annoyance from a crowd than was
Grant in his walks. Why Mrs. Cleveland moves
about and no one knows it. You never hear that
MIS- Cleveland has gone 10 New York. II Is
always Mrs Cleveland arrived here today She
gets there before 1t Is known that she is gone"
Shakespeare and Harvey.